IHC indicts judge and his wife in housemaid torture case

Judge Raja Khurram Ali Khan and wife Maheen Zafar plead not guilty to torturing 10-year-old Tayyaba


Rizwan Shehzad May 16, 2017
The development comes days after the court had dismissed a compromise struck between the suspects and 10-year-old Tayyaba’s parents, wherein they had forgiven the judge and his wife “in the name of God”. PHOTO: Reuters/File

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday framed charges against a sessions judge and his wife who had allegedly tortured a juvenile housemaid.

Indicting Additional District and Sessions Judge Raja Khurram Ali Khan and his wife Maheen Zafar, IHC's Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani directed the prosecution to produce witnesses against the accused on the next date of hearing. The suspects, however, pleaded not guilty.

The development came days after the court had dismissed a compromise struck between the suspects and 10-year-old Tayyaba’s parents, Muhammad Azam and Nusrat Bibi, wherein they had forgiven the judge and his wife “in the name of God”.

Order on compromise reserved by IHC

The court also granted an exemption to Zafar from appearing in person in the subsequent hearings of the case on an application she had filed though her counsel. “[She is] Exempted for the time being unless she is called,” said Justice Kayani in the order.

The IHC further directed authorities to produce the juvenile housemaid in the court on May 19 as her parents had pleaded the court to arrange a meeting with their child.

The couple had been booked after the victim accused them of keeping her in wrongful confinement, burning her hand over a missing broom, beating her with a ladle, detaining her in a storeroom and threatening her of even worse torture.

COMMENTS (3)

Such bolta hoon | 6 years ago | Reply May Allah give the will, courage and strength to other judges as well. Justice is pivotal to democracy.
Mir Masjidi | 6 years ago | Reply Good job !
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